WORLD SNOW DAY! Extremely successful was World Snow Day SOFIA 2020, which held today, Sunday, January 19, 2020, on cross-country skiing track near Salzitsa hut and "Alexander Logistics" sports facilities in Vitosha mountain! Dozens of children and some of their parents free of charge tried literally for the first time how to go skiing and how to use cross-country skis. Of course, there were open workouts for already advanced skiers, attractive ski demonstrations, sledding, riding snow scooters and much more fun and games in the snow for young and old.

The wonderful sunny weather, very well prepared ski track and crystal white snow conduced to the excellent mood of the festival in the mountains at all attended. Fully in line with the concept of the FIS World Snow Day, the greatest delight day bring to the kids!

For the ninth consecutive year Sofia joined in celebrating the World Snow Day just on the eve of the feast on Sunday as one of this year's 363 officially registered by the International Ski Federation (FIS) events and activities taking place in 45 countries around the world. This year, the Bulgarian professional media for skiing, winter and outdoor sports, lifestyle and industry WWW.SKI.BG organizes various snow sport activities in honor of the World Snow Day. Unfortunately, the lack of snow in Sofia hampered to carry out the celebration in a real urban environment, as contemplated by us and as made for the first time in 2012, so this time we celebrated in the nearby Vitosha Mountain, at the ski track near Salzitsa chalet and ski club "Alexander Logistics", which is located west of the last left turn on the way to the Moreni hotel and Aleko hut.

The focus this year again was on ski hiking and cross-country skiing - a wonderful winter sport that is extremely useful for the body and the spirit in which we have had significant successes and achievements in the past, but in recent years in Bulgaria seemed remains of background and enjoys a not enough large interest, especially among children. This sport does not require large investments in equipment and cash for lift passes and is extremely pleasant and easy to practice almost anywhere there is snow, even in a completely urban environment.

Find here a special video report from the World Snow Day Sofia 2020 by WWW.SKI.BG !

This year, WORLD SNOW DAY by SKI.BG once again was joined with great enthusiasm by Veselin Tsinzov - multiple Balkan and National cross-country skiing champion, who presented our country with dignity at the 2010, 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics, as well as the legendary Peter Pankov - national cross-country ski racer, participant in the Grenoble Winter Olympics in 1968, Sapporo 1972 and Innsbruck 1976, the only Bulgarian participant in the world-famous Vasalopet ski marathon, 14-time champion of Bulgaria and 9-time Balkan champion, national coach, sports director and longtime ski figure. The two shared their invaluable experience with anyone wishing to try cross-country skiing.

More than 70 years difference: little Emo (almost 4 years old) and Petar (Pepi) Pankov

According to the preliminary program of SKI.BG, the Sunday snow holiday in Vitosha started around noon and although it was planned to be until 3:00 pm, it continued until much later, because even at dusk there were a people still wanted to ride on the ski slope. In fact, there were people on the track from early morning until dark in the evening, which confirms that there is an big interest in cross-country skiing in Bulgaria!

Many children passing casually with their parents stopped by to try a cross-country skiing at Sluzica hut during the day, and others came specifically. The red tent and FIS World Snow Day flags, the colorful ads, the delicious sweets and natural juices provided by the organizers, and the enjoyable music background provided by JBL technique, made the holiday even more enjoyable for everyone. For those wishing to try cross-country skis on this holiday, which did not have personal equipment, such was provided completely free of charge by Veselin Tsinzov and his wardrobe at the Alexander Logistics Vitosha Sports Base, as well as by Peter Pankov from the Marathon Association. But most important to the recruits was the invaluable personal advice, guidance and assistance from the two mentioned eminent professionals.

And the greatest thing about it was that dozens of children, including just 3-4-year-olds, took part in the outdoor skiing lessons, many of whom literally tried this wonderful sport for the first time and were captivated by it. They were all happy and contented from the contact with the nature and to sport outdoors. All the kids had fun in the snow, all the kids enjoyed the snow and on goodbye all the kids said they would try it again! Even because of this fact, SKI.BG's WORLD SNOW DAY SOFIA 2020 was super successful!

However, for another weekend, what a huge problem is the lack of adequate access to Vitosha Mountain. During the weekends the access to the mountain is restricted from 11:00 to 14:00 and so the only alternatives are the Simeonovo - Aleko gondola lift and bus lines No.66 to Aleko hut and No.63 to "Zlatnite mostove". Despite the tremendous efforts and investment of the owner of the lift facilities "Vitosha Ski" to keep the cabin lift in working state, unfortunately it is long ago morally and ideologically outdated and is completely insufficient to provide adequate access to the mountain. The buses, on the other hand, are not very clean and they are also not enough and are constantly crowded with tourists, so very rarely would anyone get on the bus at any of his international stops along the route. Therefore, it is no wonder that many prefer to use their private cars to get to Vitosha. But what happens - just at 11:00 am, the police "close" the road and from the hundreds who dared to attempt a walk in the mountain, only a handful of "inside" people went up. The road closes with municipal regulations on the pretext that it is being treated against snow and icing, although we did not see such processing during this period. The second reason for limiting access is the lack of parking space in the high mountains. This is really a problem for Aleko. Due to the lack of sufficient parking lots, long columns of private cars parked along the road, and people often go the extra mile to the Aleko hut after leaving their car. But in fact, this ban in practice wrongly restricts those who want to get to the lower mountainous areas, such as the cross-country ski run at Sluzitsa hut and the Alexander Logistics ski base, and there is plenty of stopping places. So, while there are not enough good alternatives to private vehicles to go up the mountain, better and more accurate access control should be made, and not just "we are closing and we are not engaged". After all, we hope to find, in the near future, an adequate solution for providing the single most correct and environmentally friendly transport to the mountain - the construction of new modern lift facilities that are planned and designed as a whole and that provide reliable, quality, fast, clean and ecological access to Vitosha Mountain!

SKI.BG wishes success to Vesko Tsinzov, who, with his cross-country ski school at Alexander Logistics Ski Club, is already creating the future champions of Bulgaria.P>

The WORLD SNOW DAY SOFIA 2020 is organized by the Bulgarian professional media for skiing, winter and outdoor sports, lifestyle and industry WWW.SKI.BG, VItosha Sport Base "Alexander Logistics" and Marathon Association (Marathon.bg) and with the support of SIVEN, Bryzos, JBL, AKG, Armada Skis Bulgaria, Dragon and Board Shop.

SKI.BG especially thanks to Mr. Peter Pankov and Mr. Veselin Tsinzov for their unreserved support in organizing and holding the World Snow Day SOFIA 2020. Many thanks to FIS and World Snow Day, thanks to our partners SIVEN, Bryzos, JBL, AKG, Armada Skis Bulgaria, Dragon and Board Shop, and we would like to thank all the other volunteers who participated in the initiative.

WORLD SNOW DAY is an initiative of the International Ski Federation (FIS) and aims to bring children between the ages of 4 and 14, together with their families, out into the nature, on the snow and ski slopes, within one day, filled with fun, various adventures and snow competitions.

WORLD SNOW DAY is celebrated on the third Sunday of January every year since 2012 and is part of the FIS International Campaign "Bring Children to the Snow". WORLD SNOW DAY is one of the key initiatives of the FIS to promote snow activities as a healthy leisure time, especially for young people. The annual Snow Festival for children and their families is a chance to discover something new, a time to have fun in and out of the snow and a way to create wonderful memories and inspiration to continue enjoying the snow.

Find here a special video report from the World Snow Day Sofia 2020 by WWW.SKI.BG !

This year's World Snow Day is marked by various initiatives on different days in January also by the biggest Bulgarian winter resorts - Vitosha (Aleko), Bansko, Borovets, Pamporovo and Chepelare, as well as in some other places in the Bulgarian mountains.

For more details on the World Snow Day celebration, follow the news on WWW.SKI.BG, as well as the official FIS World Snow Day website www.world-snow-day.com !

SKI.BG
19 January 2020

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